1929 Bentley 6½-Liter Tourer

Bentley Motors was established in 1919 in the North London suburb of Cricklewood by Walter Owen Bentley. Deliveries did not begin until 1921. The first Bentley model was a 3-liter car powered by a four-cylinder, single overhead camshaft engine with four valves per cylinder. A larger-engined version arrived in 1926, known as the six-cylinder 6½-Litre model. It was offered with a 'Standard' chassis and a 'Speed' model. The Speed Six debuted in September 1928 and was credited with being the car that most worried its rival, Rolls-Royce, because of the Bentley's power and performance and its refined ride and handling.

Production of the 6½-Litre model lasted for four years, during which time 544 chassis were completed, 182 of these to Speed Six specification. By the late 1990s, only 185 of all types could be accounted for.

UV 871
This car was originally delivered in July 1929 to Mr. C.F. Tonge in London. It was built new as a Speex Six, on the mid-length 11-foot, 6-inch platform, of which 118 examples of the full run of 540 plus 'Sixes' were delivered. Equipped with the same engine residing in its bay today, FR 2644 was sent to Park Ward to be equipped with Saloon coachwork. It wore a black exterior, red wheels, Pyrene twin bar bumpers, Grebel spotlight, and red leather interior.

It was sold to F. V. Scrutton in 1931, Dr. Rossdale in 1932, and C.P. Smith in 1936. A.J. Cumming purchased it in 1952, and W.J. Bullied in 1967.

It lost its coachwork sometime after the war and for some years wore another Park Ward two-seater body which had been originally fitted to FR 2637. Wearing the Park Ward body, FR 2641 migrated to North America into the ownership of a quartet of Canadians. D. M. Nathan, JC & JR Turner, and A. H. W. Lardner in 1963.

The 2-seater was repatriated where it was given a comprehensive restoration to its original guise. During this time, the Bentley was given the Le Mans Sports Touring coachwork.

George Holman purchased the Speed Six in 1998. Its American owner has traveled more than 40,000 miles and has also raced the car in a number of vintage racing events at Lime Rock, CT, and Monterey, CA.